Forest plantations management demands generating knowledge and developing innovative technologies that make their production process more efficient. The objective of this research was to analyze the characteristics and trends of scientific publications from the Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Conservación y Mejoramiento de Ecosistemas Forestales (National Center for Disciplinary Research in Conservation and Improvement of Forest Ecosystems) from Mexico produced from 1994 to 2021, by the Plantations and Agroforestry Systems research program. A documentary review was performed in scientific journals and documents with an editorial committee; the compiled information was systematized and analyzed through graphs prepared in Microsoft Excel®. A total of 36 documents were found for three periods: 18 documents from 2019-2021 (52.78%), 14 documents from 2008-2018 (38.89%), and three (8.33%) from 1994-2007. Specifically, 30 scientific articles, five technical guidelines, and one book chapter were published from 1994 to 2021. The main research topic from 1994 to date was conservation. Their keywords analysis indicates that the main study subject was the Pinus genus. Regarding their geographical scope, 40 works were carried out at five levels: one international, twelve national, seven regional, fourteen states level, five municipal, and one local. Most of the studies (77.78%) were published in Mexican journals and publishers. The number of reported species in these documents amounted to 90. To increase its impact in the coming years, it is advisable to strengthen the research carried out with other institutions and researchers.
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the high percentage of illegal lumbering extraction (70%)
(García‐Jiménez and Vargas‐Rodriguez, 2021), or reduces
the impact of human activities.
Faced with this scenario, government institutions like the
Comisión Nacional Forestal (National Forestry
Commission), the Secretaría del Medio Ambiente y
Recursos Naturales (Environment and Natural Resources
Secretariat), the Procuraduría Federal de Protección al
Ambiente (Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection)
and the Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de
la Biodiversidad (National Commission for the Knowledge
and Use of Biodiversity) have been articulated to favor
forestry development that support the management,
regulation and conservation of this resource. These
dependencies in turn seek the support of universities like
the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (National
Autonomous University of Mexico), Universidad
Autónoma Chapingo, Colegio de Postgraduados,
Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro or research
centers like the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones
Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias (National Institute of
Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research), the
Instituto Nacional de Ecología (National Institute of
Ecology), or the Colegio de la Frontera Sur to address
specific actions or solve particular problems that lead to
the main agents that deteriorate forest masses: changes in
land use, illegal logging, fires, pests and diseases
(Goldstein et al., 2011).
Regarding forest plantations (FP), Mexico has 11.3 million
ha with agroecological potential for development, their
annual wood production is estimated to be 702 thousand
m3
(Conafor, 2020). For 2020, the operation of 237,139 ha
of FP for commercial production stands out, out of which
74% were concentrated in seven states: Tabasco (49 362
ha), Veracruz (35 969 ha), Campeche (27 800 ha), Chiapas
(17 840 ha), Michoacán (16 367 ha), Puebla (14 347 ha)
and Oaxaca (13 290 ha) (Conafor, 2020). At the same
time, it has been established that FPs actively participate in
the restoration of degraded areas, carbon sequestration, and
the preservation of ecosystems and biodiversity (Flores et
al., 2021). Forest plantations management demand
generating new knowledge and developing innovative
technologies that promote an efficient production process
and increase its potential.
In 1985, the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones
Forestales (National Forestry Research Institute), the
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (National
Agricultural Research Institute) and the Instituto Nacional
de Investigaciones Pecuarias (National Livestock Research
Institute) were merged to create the Instituto Nacional de
Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias
(National Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research
Institute, INIFAP) (Urbina, 2017). In FP the context, the
INIFAP has developed research —for more than 35
years— related to problem solving and developing
technological packages. A decade later, within the
structure of INIFAP, the Centro Nacional de Investigación
Disciplinaria en Conservación y Mejoramiento de
Ecosistemas Forestales (National Center for Disciplinary
Research in Conservation and Improvement of Forest
Ecosystems, Cenid Comef) was created, with the objective
to generate scientific and technological knowledge for
timber and non-timber forest resources sustainable
management of Mexico (Zamora and Romero, 2019). The
results of their research have been mainly disseminated
through the publication of technical guidelines, manuals,
books, articles and research notes (Urbina, 2017), and their
presentation at national and international scientific events.
The objective of this research was to analyze the
characteristics and trends of the scientific publications of
the Cenid Comef from Mexico generated by the
Plantations and Agroforestry Systems research program
during the 1994-2021 period. These results could support
and guide subsequent research of the analyzed research
program.
II. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REVIEW
To determine the number of publications of research
results from Cenid Comef (Mexico), an exhaustive
documentary review was carried out in printed and digital
scientific journals (scientific articles, research notes) and
documents with an editorial committee (technical
guidelines, books, and book chapters). The search was
carried out in Google Scholar (Google), Scientific
Electronic Library Online (SCiELO), SCOPUS, in the
Network of Scientific Journals of Latin America and the
Caribbean, Spain, and Portugal (Redalyc–Universidad
Autónoma del Estado de México) —to identify documents
in Spanish and English—, and on INIFAP's Integral
Management Institutional System (SIGI) platform and
Cenid Comef's Forestry Library.
The search was based on the authors who were or are
assigned to the Cenid Comef in the Plantations and
Agroforestry Systems program. The researchers referred to
as the first author or co-author of the manuscript were
considered when the predecessor was not assigned to the
Cenid Comef, and as the author for correspondence. The
search period comprised 28 years (1994-2021), which
corresponded to three stages of study during the operation
of the Cenid Comef: establishment, growth, and
consolidation.
The compiled information was systematized through
bibliographic reference files —which determined the year
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of publication, research topic, geographical area, journal or
publisher, species studied, keywords, number of
bibliographic references reviewed, and number of times
cited—, the data was analyzed through graphs elaborated
in Microsoft Excel®.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Based on the defined search criteria, 36 documents were
found. The period with the highest number of publications
was 2019-2021 —with 18 documents—, which
represented 52.78% of the total publications (Figure 1).
Fourteen documents were produced from 2008 to 2018
(38.89%) and three (8.33%) from 1994 to 2007, the latter,
being the period with the lowest production (Figure 1). In
this regard, it is possible that the establishment stage (start
of operations) of the Cenid Comef (1994-2007) directly
influenced the production of documents, which were
obtained from research projects developed in collaboration
with other institutions; while during the growth stage of
the Cenid Comef (2008-2018), the number of publications
increased. Finally, it is during the consolidation phase of
Cenid Comef (2019 onwards), that the Plantations and
Agroforestry Systems program achieved the highest
number of publications.
Fig. 1: Number of accumulated scientific publications from the Cenid Comef generated by the Plantations and Agroforestry
Systems program between 1994 and 2021.
Specifically, 30 scientific articles, five technical
guidelines, and a book chapter from 1994 to 2021 were
published (Table 1). The publication of articles increased
from 2019 to 2021 compared to technical guidelines and
book chapters, which have decreased (Figure 2). The
average number of references reviewed per article/year has
been higher in 2019-2021 and 2008-2018 compared to the
1994-2007 period (Table 1); while it was not possible to
compare the averages of references per technical
guideline/year and chapter/year between periods, due to
the lack of these publications.
The average number of citations per article/year was
higher from 2008 to 2018 compared to the other periods,
which is probably due to the lack of publications from
1994 to 2007 and the short period of publication from
2019 to 2021 (Table 1, Figure 2). Due to the low number
of publications between periods, it was not possible to
compare the average number of citations per technical
guidelines/year and book chapter/year. Overall, despite the
small number of manuscripts, some documents stand out
as widely cited and, consequently, of relevance for other
research, such as Garibay-Orijel et al. (2013), Angeles-
Argáiz et al. (2016) and Flores et al. (2008) (cited 36, 18,
and 16 times, respectively). Three documents have a lower
number of citations (7, 6, and 5, respectively), probably
due to the short publication time (2015-2019): Flores et al.
(2018a), Arriola et al. (2015) and Flores (2019a).
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Table 1: Characteristics of the Cenid Comef publications generated by the Plantations and Agroforestry Systems program from 1994 to 2021.
Years A†
G C RA RG RC RA/A RG/G RC/C CA CG CC CA/A CG/G CC/C AA AG AC AA/A AG/G AC/C
1994-2007 3 0 0 50 0 0 16.67 0.00 0.00 2 0 0 0.67 0.00 0.00 11 0 0 3.67 0.00 0.00
2008-2018 8 5 1 318 244 85 39.75 48.80 85.00 78 6 1 9.75 1.20 1.00 36 27 4 4.50 5.40 4.00
2019-2021 19 0 0 779 0 0 41.00 0.00 0.00 18 5 0 0.95 0.00 0.00 69 0 0 3.63 0.00 0.00
Total 30 5 1 1147 244 85 - - - 98 11 1 - - - 116 27 4 - - -
†A: Total number of articles, G: Total number of technical guidelines, C: Total number of book chapters, RA: Total number of reviewed references for articles, RG: Total number of
reviewed references for technical guidelines, RC: Total number of reviewed references for book chapters, RA/A: Average references reviewed per article/year, RG/G: Average references
reviewed per technical guidelines/year, RC/C: Average references reviewed per chapter/year, CA: Total number of citations to articles, CG: Total number of citations to technical
guidelines, CC: Total number of citations to book chapters, CA/A: Average citations per article/year, CG/G: Average citations per technical guidelines/year, CC/ C: Average number of
citations per book chapter/year, AA: Total number of article authors, AG: Total number of technical guidelines authors, AC: Total number of book chapter authors, AA/A: Average
number of authors per article /year, AG/G: Average number of authors per technical guidelines/year, AC/C: Average number of authors per book chapter/year.
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Fig. 2: Number of accumulated scientific articles (blue line), technical guidelines (orange line), and book chapters (purple
line) from the Cenid Comef by the Plantations and Agroforestry Systems program from 1994 to 2021.
Most of the documents with fewer citations (4–1), are
considered to have this potential in the coming years, since
they are recently published: Flores et al. (2018b), Flores et
al. (2019b), Flores et al. (2019c), Flores et al. (2019d),
Hernández-Hernández et al. (2019), Méndez-Espinoza and
Vallejo (2019), Muñoz-Gutiérrez et al. (2019a), Muñoz-
Gutiérrez et al. (2019b) and Flores et al. (2021). In relation
to the average number of authors per article/year, the value
is slightly higher from 2008-2018 compared to the 1994-
2007 and 2019-2021 periods, which are similar (Table 1).
The average number of authors per technical
guidelines/year and per book chapter/year was not
compared between periods due to the lack of publications.
The main research topic from 1994 to the present was
conservation (n = 11); while genetic tests, plant production
and timber production had 18 publications (Figure 3). The
least studied topics were four: reforestation, mycorrhizae,
phenotypic characterization, and development and
perspectives (n = 7) (Figure 3). Keyword analysis (n =
335) indicated twelve main study topics: Pinus (3.88%),
forestry (3.58%), conservation and genetics (2.99% each),
production (2.39%), plant and seed (1.79% each), variation
and nursery (1.49% each), and Abies, management and
pine (1.19% each) (Figure 4).
Regarding the geographical scope of the studies, one was
international (Jiaozuo, Henan province, China), twelve
national, and seven at the regional level (Trans-Mexican
Volcanic Belt, Oaxaca Coast, Pacific Coast, Southeast
Mexico), fourteen at the state level (Estado de México,
Puebla, Mexico City, Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Michoacán and
Veracruz), five at the municipal level (Ajusco, CDMX;
Apizaco, Tlax.; Metepec, Edo. Méx.; San Pedro Tultepec,
Edo. Méx., and Tlaquilpa, Ver.) and one locally (Parque
Desierto de Los Leones) (Figure 5).
Most of the studies have been published in Mexican
journals and national publishers (n = 28, 77.78%)
compared to international ones (n = 8, 22.22%) (Figure 6).
The main species studied and reported in the documents
were 90 (list not included), but only six predominated:
Pinus pseudostrobus (5.95%), P. greggii, P. hartwegii, P.
montezumae and P. patula (4.17% each), and Abies
religiosa (3.57%).
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Fig. 3: Topics published in Cenid Comef by the Plantations and Agroforestry Systems program from 1994 to 2021.
Fig. 4: Cloud of keywords of the Cenid Comef scientific publications generated by the Plantations and Agroforestry Systems
program from 1994 to 2021.
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Fig. 5: Coverage of research carried out at the Cenid Comef by the Plantations and Agroforestry Systems program from
1994 to 2021.
Fig. 6: Journals and editorials that have published Cenid Comef research generated by the Plantations and Agroforestry
Systems program from 1994 to 2021.
IV. CONCLUSION
This research analyzed the trends of the publications that
the Cenid Comef from Mexico has generated by the
Plantations and Agroforestry Systems program; likewise, it
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shows the main characteristics that they have had and the
research topics that have been addressed for almost three
decades. The growth in the production of scientific articles
is highlighted, but also a decrease in technical guidelines
and book chapters. The periods with a higher and
intermediate production have been 2019-2021
(consolidation stage) and 2008-2019 (growth stage),
respectively. The main subject of study has been
conservation and dominated the research carried out at the
national level. Most of the research has been published in
national journals, most of which has been in the Revista
Mexicana de Ciencias Forestales (formerly Revista
Ciencia Forestal en Mexico). It is suggested to strengthen
the research work carried out in this Center with other
institutions and researchers to increase its impact in the
coming years.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors are grateful to INIFAP for sponsoring the
translation of this paper through the fiscal budget project
number 1-1.6-17401333989-F-M.2-2 “Estado del arte de la
investigación forestal en el Cenid Comef”, and to the
reviewers of the manuscript for the comments made.
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